Golf-club construction



Jan. '22, 1929. 1,699,874

A. E. BUHRKE GOLF CLUB CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 9, 1927 WE a Patented Jan. 22, 1929.

i UNITED STA TIES PATENTOFFICE.

ALFRED n. nnnnxn, on Brynn ronns'r, ILLmoIs, Assrenon TO 3.. H, nunnxn 00., on cnroeeo, ILLINOIS, A conronnrron or ILLrNoIs.

eons-onus CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed December 9, 1927. Serial No. 238,748.

This invention :relates to golf club construction and has special reference to the seating or anchoring of the striking face and the impact plugs in the golf club head.

In order to afford a maximum rigldlty at the point of impact between the golf club head and the ball, the golf club head 1s provided with astriking face of a different ma .terial than that of the head. A golf club head isordinarily made of wood and 1t has been found very desirableto use a fiber, ebony and other characteristically hard materials for affording the solidity necessary to enable the golfer to get great distance to the flight of the ball and to prevent the club from rebounding and thereby enabling the golfer to follow through with the stroke to g ve the proper direction to the ball.

Inasmuch asthe striking face receives the impact of the blow, there is a teudencyfor the same to become loosened within the club head which materially affects the solidity of the blow. Further, the aforementioned tendency of the face plate to become loosened causes thevibrations set up in the golf club head to become deadened to a considerable extent which likewise materially affects the flight of the ball. i

By means ofhe present invention, the aforementioned objectionable features and difficulties are overcome by providing a striking face of such a shape as to securely anchor the same in the golf club head.

Other advantages will hereinafter be more fully described and for a better understand ing of the nature, scope and characterlstics of this invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which drawm I igure 1 is a front elevational view of a golf club head showing the novel form of striking face as embodied in this invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of Fig. 1 showing a portion thereof in section as indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, a golf club head 10 is shown which is preferably formed of wood, although any suitable material may be used. A striking face 11 is seated or an chored in the golf club head to form a solid impact member and is preferably formed of fiber, hard rubber or other suitable hard material. The striking face is substantially X-shaped having its upper and lower ends extending flush with the upper and lower surfaces of the golf club head. The remaining two edges converge inwardly from the upper and lower edges and meet substantially centrally of the face.

A plurality of impact inserts 1 2 are in serted in apertures formed in the striking face 11 and extend into the golf club head 10. In this particular instance, four such inserts are employed and are preferably formed of fiber, ivory or other hard material for affording a desirable striking surfacel These impact inserts are secured in position in the golf club head by means of main insert 13 centrally disposed relative to the previously described inserts. The insert 13 comprises a main body portion extending through the striking face a substantial distance into the sert 13. Inasmuch as the insert 13 engages and firmly holds the inserts 12 in position in the golf club head, the screw 14 is indirectly the securing means for the entire group of inserts. a

The bottom surface of the golf club head is provided with a sole plate 15 which is secured thereto preferably by means of screws 16. The sole plate is formed substantially of a mushroom shape having a stem portion 17 extending rearwardly from a head portion 18. Inasmuch as the sole plate receives a considerable portion of the shock attendant with the force of the blow, as for example, when the blow is topped there is a tendency for the sole plate to become loosened, and therefore, the internal edges of the stem portion 17 converge forwardly of the golf club head from the rear end thereof.

It will be noted that the force of impact will be received upon the shoulders of the head portion and if the impact is oil center relative to a central axis through the sole plate, the direction of the lines of force will extend laterally across the head of the golf club head to distribute the vibrations there- 35 vention is herein shown and described, it is through. It would be improbable that the center of thegolf ballandthe center of the 1 golf club head and sole plate would coincide,

and therefore, it would be usual that these vibrations would be setup in the club. The screws 16 have no function therefore other than to prevent the sole plate from falling off the bottom of the club as they do not re ceive the'force of impact. Again,the screw 14 does not receive the force of impact as it is coveredand substantially inlaid in the golf club head and is prevented from becoming loosened by means of the sole plate. The main impact insert 13 being held in position by the screw 14 will therefore not be able a to become" loosened, whereby the auxiliary impact inserts 12 are firmly held in position. The strikin face 11 is held in a substantiall integra relation with the golf club hea by means of the inserts. However, the

striking face of all golf clubs are slightly tapered to give the necessary height or rise to the ball. By so doing, the force of impact tends to displace the striking face vertically of thegolf club head. Although it is usual to provide the striking face of a frusto-conical shape thereby permitting of a wedging action, it is believed that the present inven tion teaching the use of a substantially X+shaped striking face to obtain a wedging action in both directions is novel and provides for a firm rigid position of the striking face in the club head which will not loosenundersevere usage.

While but a single embodiment of this into be understood that various modifications may be apparent to those skilledin the art without departing from the spirit andscope of 'this invention, and therefore, the same is to be limited only by the scope of the prior art and the appended claims.

I claim: 1

1. The combination with the head of a golf club, of a striking face inlaid therein said verging portions, an insert comprising a head portion and a body portion, said head portion being seated in said faceand having the outer surface thereof set flush with the outer surface ofsaid striking plate, means for engaging said insert for holdin saidface plate and said insert in a fixed relation with said club head, and means for locking saidengaging means.

3. The combination with the head of a golf club, of a striking face inlaid therein, said striking face comprising an X-shapedmemher for preventing an upward or downward displacement, an insert extending through said striking face and terminating. in said head, the outer surface of saidinsert being set flush with the outer surface of said face,

a pin for engaging said insert, and a plate on the bottomof said club head for locking,

said pin. a a

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ALFRED, E. BUHRKE; 

